The present invention relates generally to pinch tube valves and, more particularly, to an improved pinch tube valve for accurate, reliable, high speed and precise control of relatively low viscosity fluids, for example dye.
Pinch tube valves are well known in the valve art, and representative examples may be found in the following U.S. Patents: Mair et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,395; Citrin U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,724; Basel et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,989; and Goof U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,039.
By the present invention there is provided a pinch tube type valve having superior performance characteristics such as extreme speed of operation, long life, and precise on/off control. While the present valve was developed especially for use in automatic pattern carpet dyeing machines as described in the above-identified commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 085,943, and has characteristics making it highly suitable for that purpose, the high performance characteristics of the valve make it advantageous for other applications.